The MP Tobias Ellwood has called for legislation to prevent protests at parliamentarians’ homes, after a large group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside his house in his Dorset constituency. Reports have suggested that Just Stop Oil protesters plan to target politicians’ homes before the next election. The prime minister has said he will give the police more power to clamp down on “intimidation and aggressive behaviour”.
Those who favour stricter rules say the personal safety of elected representatives is essential to a functioning democracy, and that politicians are entitled to pursue their public and private lives free from intimidation. Others argue that the right to demonstrate peacefully in a public place is fundamental in a free society, and that further restrictions will only isolate MPs from the public they are paid to serve.
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Poll result will be published in The Sunday Times on March 3. See the results of last week’s poll, “Would you take a weight-loss drug?”, here.
